LIFE APPEARS

March 2019 Birchbox Review

18/3/2019

March's Birchbox comes with the theme of "You Go Girl" to celebrate Women's History Month and as usual it's filled with lots of goodies to try, so here are my thoughts...

Calvin Klein Eternity Eau De Parfum - RRP £35 for 30ml. I liked this perfume, it was long-lasting and hit the perfect amount of floral notes without being overly flowery. When I next buy perfume I'll definitely consider it.
Chella Eyebrow Cream - Tantalizing Taupe - FULL SIZE - RRP £20. I like the format of this, with a brush at one end and the cream at the other, it was easy to use and blended out to a natural finish quickly. I don't really use brow products so this is nice to have but not something I'd actually buy for myself. The colour match was good for me though.
Emma Hardie Midas Touch Revitalising Cream - RRP £44 for 50ml. Because this is a thicker cream I used it before bed as a night cream, and it does hydrate well. It feels really luxurious on the skin and didn't take too long to absorb. I did find that it blocked a couple of my pores though (nothing major but still there) so I'll probably use this to treat specific areas rather than all over my face. It's also more expensive than I really think it warrants so it's not something I'd repurchase.
Generation Clay Ultraviolet Brightening Clay Mask - RRP £28.50 for 60g. This was the product you got to choose for March and I went for some ultraviolet brightening. It applies easily, dries quickly and is easy to wash off. My skin felt clean and firm, without being tight or dry, and it did look a bit brighter. I've used it a couple of times and I'm impressed with it so I would buy it again.
BOD Glitter Body Scrub - Brown Sugar & Honey Petite - RRP £4.49 for 50ml. This is just a straight no for me. I can't stand glitter. I like that it's vegan, but glitter down the drain can't be great for the environment, and it drove me insane to have it on my skin. It wasn't even that effective as a scrub, so it's a no.
The Beauty Crop "You Go Girl” Bronzer Compact - Sardinia Sand - FULL SIZE - RRP £8 for 3g. Bronzer isn't really my thing to be honest, but this seems decent. It blended out well and was a nice shade for my skintone. I like that the formula has green tea in it as a skincare boost but it's not something I'd choose for myself simply because I wouldn't use it.

Overall, there were a couple of misses for me this month, and only really one product (the mask) that I was excited for. Hopefully next month will be better.

If you got this month's Birchbox, let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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6 Things You Need For The Perfect Dinner Party

18/3/2019

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Throwing a dinner party is a great feeling, but definitely, one that comes with a lot of preparations and stress. Whether you're hosting your parents in law for the first time or you wanted to have a catch up with friends - dinner parties are one of the best ways to get everyone together for a fun night. With that in mind, here are 6 things you need for the perfect dinner party:

A Budget For The Evening
Although it may seem over the top to set yourself a budget, planning this in advance is the best possible way to make sure you don't overspend. Hosting a dinner party often means having to cover the costs of a number of different courses and a variety of different drinks, so they can definitely be expensive. Make sure you set yourself the ideal amount you'd like to spend, considering how much all of your ingredients and table decorations are going to cost.

A Delicious Menu
One of the most important aspects of a dinner party is the menu you create. For the best possible dinner party, you need to have a minimum of three courses - your start, main and dessert.

If you have never hosted a dinner party or you don't think your skills are up to scratch, you may want to consider researching the best menus for a dinner party. Using sites like Pinterest and Instagram you will be able to find recipes that you feel comfortable cooking, as well as a couple of recipes for those that want to test their skills in the kitchen. For more dinner party menu inspiration, you can visit this site here.

A Range Of Different Wines
As we mentioned above, one of the best things you can serve at a dinner party is wine! Whilst it is customary for guests to bring a bottle of wine for their guests, you also need to ensure you have enough bottles to serve throughout the night. If you want to go the extra mile, you can even research which wines are best paired with which courses, giving everyone the ultimate tasting experience.

A Stunning Table Setting
Not only is the food and drink important at a dinner party, but the way in which you set your table is. In a world of Instagramable dinners, you need to ensure you're creating an absolutely beautiful spread. From the wine glasses down to the tablecloths, it all makes a difference!

Music And Entertainment Between Courses
Although this isn't essential, having a little bit of music or entertainment at your dinner party could help spice things up a little. Whether it's background music as you eat or a little bit of dancing between courses, the more fun your guests have the better!

Lots Of Incredible Guests
Finally, the most important ingredient for a dinner party is your guests! Don't forget sure everyone is ready for a great night, calculating your final numbers for the big night the day before.

Are you thinking of hosting a dinner party? What do you need to prepare in advance? Let me know in the comments section below.

*collaborative post*

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Live a Happy Life by Saying Yes to These Things Today

15/3/2019

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Saying no to things in life is often the easier option for you. Saying no means that you stay in your comfort zone, or it means that you don’t have the fear of failure or even getting rejected. So in many aspects of life, it can be easier to say no and to stick with what you know. But the thing with saying yes is that it allows you to open up your life to much more possibility and happiness, as you can push yourself off out of your comfort zone and do new things. So with all of that in mind, today’s post is all about things that you should be saying yes to, so that you can be happier and live your best life. There will be some here that resonate more than others, so think through what is going to work best for you.

Being Perfectly Imperfect
If you spend most of your life trying to be too perfect then it is going to be a pretty hard life. It is important to remember that it is impossible to do everything perfectly, so stop trying to be perfection. You should just focus on doing your best, and being perfectly imperfect. If you keep trying to set the bar too high for yourself then it can lower your self-esteem over time, especially if you are critical of yourself.

When you are aiming for perfection, it usually winds up in something being slow to happen or something that ends up never being finished. So an option can be going for good enough instead. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try hard or make an effort. It simply means that you realize that there are things more important, such as your mental health and happiness.

Yes To You
If you feel like you are not able to be yourself, then it can be time to make changes, such as stop trying to change for others. It can even be censoring yourself so that you don’t feel good at all. When that happens, it can make life feel small and quite limited. The question is, though, how do you make sure that you are able to be yourself? For starters, the environment that you surround yourself with makes a difference. So spend more of your time with people that support the dreams that you have and that share the values and goals that you have. If you find that the people that you spend time with a lot can criticize you or are just generally toxic, then it can be a good idea to say yes to cutting them out of your life. When you say yes to yourself, then it help you to create a much happier life.

Your Passions
In order to live your happiest life, then it can be really important to find some time and energy for the things in your life that help to make you feel alive; your passions. How do you go about doing that? To start off wit, how about trying something new? It could be something large that you have always wanted to do, or just something small each week that is new and different. It could be seeing a film you’ve always wanted to, taking a nap on your lunch break, trying a new drink, or doing something out of the ordinary like signing yourself up for a marathon that you can then train for. When you create variation and do things to expand your comfort zone fairly often, then it is just small steps that help you to live a happier life.

If you feel like there are things that stop you from saying yes, then it is a good idea to look at what those things are. If you want to travel more, for example, then what is holding you back? Time off work? Money to travel? There are things that you can do, so you just need to look at what to do. Could it be like looking for something like bad credit loans with a guarantor in order to plan your dream travel trip, for example? It could be that you save up some time off work so that you can have enough for your dream plans? When you’ve got a goal to help you to try something new and live a happier life, then there will be things that you can do to get there.

Being Optimistic
When you are feeling pessimistic, then it can really limit your life and bring it to a bit of a standstill. It can stop you from doing certain things if you do look on the negative side of life. Thinking in a pessimistic way can make it feel like there's no point in even trying because it won’t make a difference or that you will simply just fail. You can instantly put up walls around you if you are feeling negative, which is not going to be a good thing. When you say yes to living your life in a more optimistic kind of way, then it can open up your life in different ways that you wouldn’t have even thought of.

One of the things that you can do to turn your thinking around is ask yourself different questions that do have a more positive angle. When you can change the way that you are thinking, then it can promote optimism and often help you to find new solutions to things. Ask yourself something like what is good or bad about the situation that you are in? Plus, what is the opportunity that a certain situation presents? Simply rethinking things makes such a massive difference.

Forgiveness
When you are clinging to the past because of things that have hurt you, then it can really be something that holds you back in life. If you do want to have a happier life, then learning to move on and forgive things really makes such a difference. It also pays to really forgive yourself too. Forgiving isn’t always an easy thing to do, and it can take some time out, but there are things that can make forgiving a little easier.

To start off with, it is a really good idea to remind yourself that forgiving is for your own benefit. When you don’t forgive and can’t move on from something, it forever means that you are connected or linked to that person. You can spend a lot of time festering on that person, but in a negative light, of course, which can take its toll on your health (and mental health). So forgiving really does help to relieve yourself from turmoil, and all of the agony that can come along with it.

While on the subject of forgiveness, it is really important to make a habit of forgiving yourself too. It can be easier to forgive other people, believe it or not, rather than forgive ourselves, as we are our own worst critics. But you need to learn to forgive yourself and move on from the things that you have done wrong in the past before. It will help you to be happier and help you to enjoy your life if you are able to forgive yourself and move on. You are worth it and worth forgiving yourself.

Growth and Openness
When you decide to say yes to being more open in life for all things that come your way, then it can help to play a large part in your overall happiness. So it has got to be worth it, right? A lot of things that have been in this post are all things that can help you to grow and be more open in life. But there are some more tips that can help you to make your journey a little easier and simpler.

It is a good idea to start small with the changes that can help your growth and openness. So to start off with, something as small as just saying no to one thing each day or week that you don’t want to do can help you to be more open and to help you to grow and mature. It could also be something like helping to make someone else happy or taking steps to be a little outside of your comfort zone in how you are living your life. It can feel overwhelming to change many things all at once. Willpower can be tough to have, but small things each day can make those decisions and changes much easier to make.

At the end of the day, life isn’t perfect. But you can still live a happy life, even when things that are going on around you are less than ideal. During those times when you feel you are failing or have done something wrong, don’t give up. It can be a good idea to look for things that will help yot, like finding some inspiration from books or blogs that fascinate you, as well as drawing from the people that are around you. Keep moving forward, even when things are going wrong, and nudge yourself back on track.

*Collaborative post.*

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Boosting Your Home’s Eco-Credentials

8/3/2019

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We all need to do our bit for the environment, which is under increased pressure from mankind’s actions. While doing things like pushing for more progressive policies and limiting your travel are good starting points, the basis for any person who wants to improve how they interact with the environment is their actions within the home. The good news is that this isn’t so difficult; far from it, in fact. Below, we take a look at a few tried and tested things you can do that’ll make your property a bona fide eco-friendly home.

The Basics
There are plenty of advanced things you can do to do your bit to save the planet, but the best things are nearly always the simplest. Or rather, it’s best to make sure you’re taking care of the basics before you begin looking at other ways you can help the earth. For example, things like taking shorter showers, turning off your electrical items when they’re not in use, and recycling all your waste that can be recycled can all be considered essential.

Upcycling Goods
When we want to improve your home, we usually head to the store, see what’s available, and then take what we like home, where it’ll stay until the next time we want to change something about our home, at which point the process is repeated. But did you know there’s another option, one that’s better for the environment, your wallet, and also looks cooler than most things you can find in the multinational shops? It’s called upcycling, and it allows homeowners the chance to give their home an updated look with a twist. An upcycled table and chair set, for example, can look much more interesting than a brand new set, which will have used up plenty of natural resources during the manufacturing and shipping process. You can even upcycle yourself -- all you need is some time and a can of chalk paint.

Energy Usage
No-one’s asking anyone to live as if they’re living in the 17th century, when everything probably was better for the environment. It’s just about thinking about the true cost of living in a comfortable home. We might be tempted to turn up the central heating when the chilly weather arrives, but we’ll be using up a lot of energy (and usually efficiently) if we do so. Instead, take a look at wood heaters, which can be viewed here. These warm your home just as well, but, since they use wood - a renewable source - have less of an impact on the earth.

Grow Your Own
If you've got a garden, then why not look at growing your own vegetables? It’s easier than you think, and can be a lot of fun -- plus it gets you into the outdoors, too, and they taste better. Best of all, it’ll show you that how you consume food is within your control. There’s no carbon footprint if you grow your own vegetables and then eat them for dinner -- and it’s highly rewarding! I've just bought myself some seeds to grow some veg this year so I'm very excited to get started!

*Collaborative Post*

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Dear Mrs Bird review

7/3/2019

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Dear Mrs Bird by AJ Pearce follows Emmy, a young woman in wartime London, as she takes on a new job as the typist for a woman's magazine agony aunt.

It already sounds amazing, right? Well the reality is even better.

It starts with Emmy finding an advert for what she thinks is her dream job working at a newspaper, which in turn will help lead her to her hopes of becoming a war correspondent. But it turns out that's not quite the case when she finds herself managing the letters to and from Mrs Bird, an agony aunt with very specific (and old-fashioned) instructions on what are and are not acceptable topics for publication (there's a whole list of forbidden terms!)... also Mrs Bird is a little scary in that old school formidable matriarch way.

But when Emmy feels a tug on her heartstrings at one particular letter that Mrs Bird has deemed unacceptable, she decides to do something risky; she writes back, pretending to be Mrs Bird! EEK!

Alongside her professional travels, Dear Mrs Bird follows Emmy as she navigates her personal life. She starts with a fiance off at war, who dumps her to marry a nurse (via telegram!), which leads to her temporarily swearing off men before meeting the brother of one of her superiors at work (another soldier); it's not exactly a whirlwind romance but hey it was the 40s and he was fighting in Europe, what do you expect?

I loved the friendly and conversational feel of the book that still managed to never dimish the terrible realities of living through the Blitz, even through the sad parts of the story. From her dilemnas at work to her love life, her relationship with her best friend Bunty and her opinions on the war itself, by the time I finished reading, Emmy felt like a real friend, someone I'd been sitting down having a conversation with.

It's wonderfully written and AJ Pearce builds up the world of wartime London beautifully as well as creating characters that you can't help but take into your heart.

I know I'll be coming back to read Dear Mrs Bird again in the future and would be delighted to see a sequel!

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March 2019 Birchbox Review

6 Things You Need For The Perfect Dinner Party

Live a Happy Life by Saying Yes to These Things Today

Boosting Your Home’s Eco-Credentials

Dear Mrs Bird review

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